Greater Manchester bus route 263

263
Overview
Operator	Arriva North West
Garage	Wythenshawe
Vehicle	Wright Pulsar 2/VDL SB200
Route
Start	Piccadilly Gardens
Via	Chorlton upon Medlock Hulme Old Trafford Gorse Hill Stretford Sale Broadhealth
End	Altrincham Interchange
Service
Level	Daily
Frequency	15-60 mins
Route map Piccadilly Gardens Chorlton upon Medlock Hulme Old Trafford Gorse Hill Stretford Sale Broadhealth Altrincham Interchange ← {{{previous_line}}}  {{{system_nav}}}  {{{next_line}}} →

Greater Manchester bus route 263 is a bus route runs between Piccadilly Gardens and Altrincham Interchange. It is operated by Arriva North West.

Current route

The 263 serves the following locations:

• Piccadilly Gardens
• Chorlton upon Medlock
• Hulme
• Old Trafford
• Gorse Hill
• Stretford
• Sale
• Broadhealth
• Altrincham Interchange

History

Bus route 263 originated as part of the wider Greater Manchester bus network, initially operated by North Western Road Car Company in the early 20th century. This was during a period when bus services were becoming increasingly important for connecting suburbs and smaller towns to the main city centers. Altrincham, in particular, was an important hub, and the route helped provide vital connections. In 1969, the bus service came under the control of the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE), following the nationalization and reorganization of public transport. Under GMPTE, route 263 became a crucial link between Altrincham, Sale, Stretford, and Manchester, serving a mix of residential and commercial areas.

In 1986, the bus industry in the UK was deregulated, which meant that private companies could operate bus services under competition with public operators.

Following deregulation, the 263 route was eventually taken over by GM Buses then Stagecoach Manchester in 1996, one of the largest private bus operators in the region. Over the years, Stagecoach introduced modern buses and frequent services, which helped solidify the 263 as an essential route.

In October 2009, the operations of route 263 was taken over again by Arriva North West, becoming the current operator of this route. Since takeover, a fleet of brand new Wright Pulsar 2 bodied VDL SB200, were deployed on this route and currently in service.